do you size and fit your cross/gravel bikes the same as your road bikes?

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Catagory6
Posts: 612
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:36 am

by Catagory6

do you go for a more upright positioning?
do you go for a different geometry?

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spud
Posts: 1266
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:52 am

by spud

I've got my gravel bike set with the same reach, and 1/2" less drop from my standard aggressive road position. I think I will eventually reduce reach by putting 1 cm shorter stem on, while also raising bar height by about 1 cm. Reason is that while riding gravel roads the position is great, but decending on rough stuff like jeep trails and single track, position puts too much weigh on my hands.

spdntrxi
Posts: 5791
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by spdntrxi

pretty much what spud said... it's the descending on rough stuff that will make you alter the fit. If you dont do any of that you can live with same kind of fit. Nothing like -15% of rain rutted singletrack that will make you wish for Full suspension and a dropper
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Catagory6
Posts: 612
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by Catagory6

spdntrxi wrote:
Fri Feb 15, 2019 5:16 pm
pretty much what spud said... it's the descending on rough stuff that will make you alter the fit. If you dont do any of that you can live with same kind of fit. Nothing like -15% of rain rutted singletrack that will make you wish for Full suspension and a dropper
do you live in new england?

i'm so up to my eyeballs with the weather

spdntrxi
Posts: 5791
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by spdntrxi

Catagory6 wrote:
Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:11 am
spdntrxi wrote:
Fri Feb 15, 2019 5:16 pm
pretty much what spud said... it's the descending on rough stuff that will make you alter the fit. If you dont do any of that you can live with same kind of fit. Nothing like -15% of rain rutted singletrack that will make you wish for Full suspension and a dropper
do you live in new england?

i'm so up to my eyeballs with the weather
San Francisco Bay area... it's been mostly rain for a few week now.. snow down to 2500 feet or so.
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moyboy
Posts: 492
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:19 am

by moyboy

I would go with a more relaxed and upright geometry vs. the aggressive race position. Also probably 2cm wider bars than my road bike for stability in the rough stuff.

Jugi
Posts: 678
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:10 am

by Jugi

When getting a CX for winter and mixed riding duties, I selected a frame which was only 5 mm shorter on reach compared to my road bike. After adjusting everything, to my surprise I actually ended up at almost exactly same effective stack & reach numbers (handlebar dimensions etc. included). Although the fit is almost same, it remains quite different to ride because of differences in BB drop and head tube + seat tube angles.

AZR3
Posts: 998
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:00 pm
Location: Az USA

by AZR3

My 3T is close to my SuperSix Evo (little higher stack [Large slammed 3T vs 56cm slammed Evo] and about identical reach) but with wider bars (42cm vs 38cm)

Grobar
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:47 am
Location: Switzerland

by Grobar

Hi guys,
I currently ride my roadbike which have 515mm stack and 382mm reach and 11cm slammed stem. My saddle height is ~69cm and I am 90% of the time in the drops with no pain at all. I am 171cm. I am looking to buy a gravel bike and I hesitate between two size: XS 544mm and 365mm /or/ S 563mm and 375mm.
What would you recommend to me ?

spdntrxi
Posts: 5791
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:11 pm

by spdntrxi

50 more stack is alot... I'd probably choose XS between the two. I found less reach is nice especially when bombing down the rough stuff.
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onemanpeloton
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by onemanpeloton

spdntrxi wrote:
Fri Feb 22, 2019 4:32 pm
50 more stack is alot... I'd probably choose XS between the two. I found less reach is nice especially when bombing down the rough stuff.
I agree!
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Grobar
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:47 am
Location: Switzerland

by Grobar

Thanks for the reply, I am also thinking about XS but my LBS is pushing for S as he thinks I need more a upright position for gravel.

TheRich
Posts: 1037
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:36 am

by TheRich

spdntrxi wrote:
Fri Feb 22, 2019 4:32 pm
50 more stack is alot... I'd probably choose XS between the two. I found less reach is nice especially when bombing down the rough stuff.
Do you mean reach as in the frame measurement or the fit measurement, or both?

If you want stability, add wheelbase or move the bars back, or both. (ignoring HTA and fork measurements)

spdntrxi
Posts: 5791
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by spdntrxi

TheRich wrote:
Fri Feb 22, 2019 5:46 pm
spdntrxi wrote:
Fri Feb 22, 2019 4:32 pm
50 more stack is alot... I'd probably choose XS between the two. I found less reach is nice especially when bombing down the rough stuff.
Do you mean reach as in the frame measurement or the fit measurement, or both?

If you want stability, add wheelbase or move the bars back, or both. (ignoring HTA and fork measurements)
lets assume he stays with same stem/bars..reach will be roughly 20 less... my road and gravel has very similar geo's in terms of reach (frame).. I have a 20mm less stem on my gravel bike. When I had 120 stem on my gravel, it took me one downhill single track to say to myself a shorter stem would nice.
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2002 Moots Compact-SL- getting aero look makeover
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Grobar
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:47 am
Location: Switzerland

by Grobar

Yes I will ride exactly the same bars-stem combo on my gravel than on my road bike. Just the bars are aluminium instead of carbon. And I already have a copy of my current stem in 11cm also.

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